Cameron to resume rehab stint Wednesday

Center fielder spent Tuesday working out at Fenway Park

By Ian Browne / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- For the second consecutive day, Red Sox center fielder Mike Cameron worked out at Fenway Park under the supervision of some of the team's training staff. The veteran will resume his Minor League rehab assignment on Wednesday, when he reports to Double-A Portland.

Manager Terry Francona said that Cameron is expected to play at least two more games in the Minors before being activated by Boston. The veteran, who has been sidelined with a lower abdominal strain, could return at some point this weekend, when the Red Sox play a three-game series at Philadelphia.

Though there was originally some hope Cameron could return for this two-game series in New York, Francona made it clear there were no setbacks.

"His body was sore," Francona said. "I think we wanted to make sure that it was his body being sore and not injured. We had him checked out pretty thoroughly. He worked out today like crazy. He went to Fenway, did all kinds of stuff. That's good news. We don't want him to come back and be 90 [percent], and then the next week be 85, then be 80. We want him to come back and have a chance to play and be good."

Meanwhile, left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (left chest contusion) played the second game of his rehab assignment, going 0-for-3 at Portland. He will take Wednesday off from games and confer with the Red Sox before their game at Fenway. Ellsbury is expected to play some more Minor League games after that.

Drew tweaks right hamstring

NEW YORK -- While playing a key role in Boston's four-run rally in the eighth inning on Tuesday night, right fielder J.D. Drew tweaked his right hamstring. The good news is that Drew said he's hopeful he can start on Wednesday night against the Twins.

Drew's delivered a clutch RBI double to left against Joba Chamberlain and ran gingerly into second. He didn't look much better while scoring on a single to right by Kevin Youkilis.

"His left calf was hurting and then he was trying to compensate, and he felt his right hammy, so it was cold so we got him out of there," manager Terry Francona said after the Red Sox's 7-6 victory. "That ended up being the best thing I did all night."

Francona was making a lighthearted reference to the fact that Drew's replacement -- Jeremy Hermida -- wound up with the game-winning hit, a two-out double to left in the ninth.

"I just didn't want to take a chance with it," said Drew. "It couldn't get loose, I couldn't stay warm. It was hard to kind of get it loosened up. We'll get in there tomorrow and be ready to go again."

Francona huddles with Dice-K, V-Mart

NEW YORK -- Not only did Daisuke Matsuzaka have a rough outing on Monday night against the Yankees, but he seemed out of sync with catcher Victor Martinez from the start. There were numerous instances in which Matsuzaka shook off Martinez. In the aftermath of a difficult 11-9 loss, both players were frustrated, perhaps in part by a lack of cohesion with each other.

Before Tuesday's game, manager Terry Francona huddled with both Matsuzaka and Martinez in hopes they can have better results going forward.

In Matsuzaka's previous outing, when he was brilliant for seven innings in a win over the Blue Jays, Jason Varitek was behind the plate. Martinez caught Matsuzaka's three other starts, in which one extremely bad inning has been the culprit on each occasion.

"We're trying to, as we do during the game, make adjustments, make sure everybody's all on the same page," Francona said. "My point to both of them was, 'OK, if we're frustrated, how do we make it better?' It's easy to show frustration, but how do you make it better? That's what we'll try to do."

Matsuzaka shaking off Martinez isn't the issue, said Francona.

"I don't think I ever have a problem with the pitcher shaking [off] to get to the pitch they want to throw," Francona said. "I don't think Victor does either. I think that was the point he was making. I feel like, for the most part, with our staff, regardless of what pitch they throw, if they throw it with conviction and locate, it's probably going to be the right pitch. We can talk about game-planning, and we certainly do. But again, if guys throw a pitch with conviction, it's probably going to be the right pitch."

Dice-K's next start is scheduled for Saturday at Philadelphia. Who will be behind the plate?

"Well, I'm not going to make the lineup out five days from now," Francona said. "That's impossible."

With Josh Beckett pitching on Tuesday, Martinez served as the catcher. Varitek had caught Beckett's previous six starts.

"We're just trying to win games," Francona said. "I think I said a long time ago that we really didn't want to have too many personal [pitcher-catcher matchups]. I meant that."

Ortiz hosting fundraiser at restaurant

NEW YORK -- David Ortiz, the gregarious slugger of the Boston Red Sox, will hold an "Eat 'n' Greet" Event at his restaurant in Framingham, Mass. -- Big Papi's Grille -- on May 27. All proceeds from the event will benefit the David Ortiz Children's Fund, which raises money for children in the Dominican Republic and New England who need open heart surgery.

"Raising money for kids who need it is great, man," Ortiz said. "That's the way we roll with things, and as long as you're helping people, there's nothing better than that. That's the way to go. There's a lot of people out there that need help from people like us, so if I can do it, I just go for it."

The lunch will feature a photo opportunity with Big Papi, lunch provided by Big Papi's Grille, an auction and a raffle.

"People are going to like the food at my restaurant," Ortiz said. "We're always fixing things up just right there. But just to do this for a good cause and helping people out and things like that, I think it's good."

The latest item from Big Papi's kitchen -- peach mango salsa -- will also be launched at the event.

Fans who can't make it to the event can still contribute to the David Ortiz Children's Fund by purchasing a raffle ticket for their chance to win David Ortiz autographed memorabilia and Big Papi's Kitchen new peach mango salsa. Raffle tickets are $10 and are available online at www.DavidOrtizChildrensFund.org/eatngreet.

The David Ortiz Children's Fund has raised more than $1 million.

Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.